Carrier.



c. J. ANDERSON.

CARRIER.

" APPLICATION IILIID JAN. 25. 1907.

Patented May 2, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

M: Mam/z) C. J. ANDERSON.

CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED 111.25. 1907. 991,41 1 Patented May 2, 191 1.

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CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed January 25, 1907. Serial No. 354,131.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. ANDER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Menomonie, in the county of Dunn and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and nsefullmprovement in Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to carriers by which loaded trays or articles are carried upon parallel, endless cables, the cables being provide means whereby such tray or article. is automatically switched from one such line v onto another line extending from the former line at an angle; second, where there are a number of branch or stub lines extending from a through or main line at an angle, to provide applianceswhereby said switching device may be readily changed from one branch or stub line to another; and third, to provide interchangeablepower transmission i mechanism for successive operation between such'through line and branch lines.

My carrier devices are represented in the accompanying drawings, n which Figure 1, 1s a plan .vlew showing a throu hor primary conveyer or carrier line and a number of branch, secondary alley' or compartment" lines leading therefrom, with my devices applied to oneof said branch or compartment lines; Fig. 2, is a side elevation of my devices on a larger scale, showing 4 the application thereof to said through or -main line when adjusted to lead into one of said branch lines; Fig. 3, is a plan of substantially the same as Fig. 2, and Fig. 4, is an end elevation of the car or carriage with my devices thereon, and showing a branch carrier line in side elevation.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The tracks 1, are located beneath the 'cables 2, of the main line and upon said tracks rest car trucks 3. 5 The frame of the car or "carriage 31, maybe composed of bars 4, and

standards 5, said frame being preferably ings, and preferably supported upon ,said trucks 3, which preferably ride upon tracks 1. I also prefer to make said car so that the two ends thereof are duplicates of each other, with end sheaves 6, carried'upon common shafts 7, one of such shafts being loosely secured upon each end'of said car frame, as shown in Fig. 2. The end pulleys or sheaves 6, carry the out-going or carrying sections of the two through line endless cables 2. For the purpose of transmitting the motion or power of the cables 2, of the main line to the cables 8, of any branch or stub line, or vice versa, I provide interme sheaves 9, secured to a common shaft 10, which is journaled upon said frame. I pre fer, also, to provide two sets of sheaves 11, secured to their respective shafts 12, which shafts are journaled upon said carriage frame, one thereof at each side of the shaft 10. Saidsheaves 11, are designed both to depress said carrying sections of the endless cables 2, to a point below the top of said sheaves 6,-for the purpose hereinafter described,and for the purpose of depressing said sections of said cables to a point below the top of said sheaves 9, as shown in Fig. 2, in order that the cables 2, may tightly grasp the sheaves 9, and transmit to said tion. The carrying sections of said cables 2, may, however, be depressed to a; point betirely around the sheaves 9, (instead. of

of said sheaves) thereby also tightly} graspand rendering sheaves 11, unnecessary; set of miter gears 13, are secured respecframe and carry sprockets 15.

line cables '8, pass around a pair. of sheaves 16, secured to a common shaft;17, which shaft may be journaled upon blocks 29, secured to posts 18.

' ably fastened in the ground or to the floor of low'the top of said sheaves 6, in anysuitable manner, as by simply winding cables 2, one

a merely passing them over an arci-atthe top ing the sheaves 9, for power transmission, r 100 tively to shaft s 10, and 14. The shafts 14,: are journaled'longitudinally uponsaid car The branch carrier lines leadinglinto the lanes or alleys are below the level-of,-butare 9 similar to the through lines. The branch made of angle-iron, as shown in the drawd iate and interchangeable power transmis- SlOIl mechanism. I, therefore, 'secu're upon the frame of the said car 31, a pair of sheaves or receive therefrom, power or mo-f' and said posts are preferthe building, as the case may be, as shown in Figs. 3, and 4. The shaft 17, is provided with a sprocket 19, which sprocket carries a clutch member 20, upon said shaft 17', and the sprocket chain 21,is carried by said sprockets 15, and 19. Thus the interchangeable power transmission mechanism secured upon the carriage is hitched to the branch carrier line. It will readily be seen that the motion or power of the endless cables 2, of the through line will thus be transmitted through the devices upon the car 31, to the said "alley cables 8, or vice versa, from the branch line to the through line cables. Each branch line may be similarly equipped. Of the endless cables 2, and 8, the upper sections or portions of the cables are the carrying sections and are represented to move in the direction shown by the arrows, while the lower sections are the return sections of said cables. The cables 8, between the ends of the branch line, may be supported upon sheaves 22, carried by posts 23,

permanently secured in the same manner as posts 18, orsaid cables may be supported in any suitable manner. Since the car or carriage 31,- is designed to be moved along the said through line, to the respective branch lines, removable supports or horses 24, with sheaves 25, are provided for the support of the through line cables 2.

The tray or pallet 26, Fig. 2, is represented as being carried upon the carrying section of the cables 2, in the direction shown by the arrow, Fig. 2, its destination bein to the alley or compartment opposite whic 1 the car is located. For the purpose of automatically switching said tray to the cables 8, of the branch line, I provide a curve carrier section 27, of ordinary gravity carriers. One end of said curve section is secured to the -standards 5, at one end of said car 31, and the other end or outer ort-ion of said curve section is supporte by resting upon the outer ends of a set ofbraces 28. The inner ends of said braces are secured upon the car 31, as shown in Figs. 3, and 4. The top or carrying sections of the cables 8, at sheaves 16, are at alower level than the top or carrying sections of the cables 2, at the point where they are carried by the sheaves 6. That is to say, the point of delivery from the first line of transportation tothe curve section is higher than the point of delivery from the curve section to the branch or second line of transportation, so that the curve section 27, is placed upon an incline. In order to shift m switching device so as to use the same for eliveries to be made to or from anyone of the other branch or alley lines shown in Fig. 1, it is only necessary to remove the s rocket 19, with its clutch member 20, from t 1e shaft 17, to remove the horses 24, from that portion of the car track or carriage way over which the car is to be moved, and raise slightly the outer end of the curve section 27 so as to lift it above the alley cables 8, at sheaves l6, and to permit such lifting, the attachment of the inner end'of said curve section to the frame of the car may be loose. The carriage 31, may then be moved along and beneath said through line to the branch, stub or alley line desired and the parts readjusted with reference to the new branch carrier line in the same manner as before, the horses 24, being re-placed to support the cables of the main line.

Should it be desired to reverse the direction in which the cables 2, are driven so as to transport upon the through line in a direction opposite to that shown in the drawings and indicated by the arrows thereon, the same curve section 27, can be used to switch the trays or other articles-onto the same branch lines. In that event, the outer end of said gravity section 27, supported by braces 28, will be secured to the opposite end of the said car, and what was the inner end of the curve section will become the outer end thereof and will be supported by braces 28, at that end of'the' carriage in a similar manner, 'as shown bydotted lines, Fig. 3. It is also obvious that said curve section may be used to switch from said through line to a branch carrier line leading at right angles from said track on the opposite side thereof from the alleys shown in the drawings. It will thus be seen that my curve section is reversible so as to deliver vfrom either end or to either side of the car.- riage from the through line and to so deliver whether the cables of the throu h line are driven in the direction shown y the arrows or in an oppositedirection; and that it is also interchangeable so as to be applied to anyone of several branch lines, it being, in'any case, intermediate to two carrier lines. My devices can as well be used to remove articles from compartments to which they have been so transported and stored. Where I they are applied to a brick yard having series of brick drying racks 32, adjoining each other with lanes or alleys and alley lines between the adjoining racks (Fig. '1), and the bricks have been transported .on trays 26, to the drying racks abutting upon alley lines, for drying, they will later require transporting therefrom to the kiln. Similar requirements occur in other industries. I, therefore, provide an adjustable attachment of the shaft 17, to the end posts 18, of the branch carrier lines, through said blocks 29, whi'ch are bolted to the posts 18.

Additional bolt holes 30, are provided in the posts 18, so that the blocks 29, may be raised and held 'to posts 18, by puttin the retaining bolts through the holes 30, l Fig. 4-) so as to give the curve carrier section 27, a downward pitch leading from the cables 8,.

through and branch cable lines in order to fit them to remove the articles stored adjacent to the branch line.

i The: method of operation of my devices is simple. As the tray or article 26, upon cables 2, moves in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, these cables are caused todeseend from it by the action of reaches the gravity curve section 27, onto which it is ushed by said cables. \Vhen thus freed fi om the cables 2, it descends upon the curve section 27, by gravity till it meets the cables 8, which draw it onto themselves and carry it forward. When the same is to be trans orted from the branch line to the through -ine,'the

30, or the sheaves 16, are raised in any other appropriate manner. The sprocket chain 21, may at the same time be lengthened, as needed, in the ordinary way, by the addition of one or more links. The end of the curve section 27, adjacent to the cables 8, will be raised in a degree corresponding to said raising of the sheaves 16, which may be done in :any suitable manner, preferably by loosely securing the braces 28, at their lower or innerends, upon the car 31, and by securing the outer or upper ends of said braces 28,to the curve section at a point nearer the through line cables. The motion of the cables being nowreversed, the tray or article 26, on the cablesjS, will move in a. direction opposite to the arrow, Fig. 4, and will pass over the curve section to the through line and be received u on the cables 2, in like manner as before escribed. Since the carriage is adapted to-be moved successively to "connect the through line with any branch line, a change of line connections is quickly efl'ected.

My carriage and power transmission mechanism are valuable totransmit power between the through line and any branch line, whether the transported articles are to be transmitted from one line to the other or not; and more than one such carriage 31, with the described power transmission mechanism, may be placed upon a given through line, so as to connect it with more than one branch line at the same time.

similar carrier line By my devices much convenience is effected as well as great saving of labor and ex ense.

at by Letters Patent is,-- a

In carriers, the combination ofa carrier line consisting of a set of parallel endless cables appropriately supported and adapted to bedriven by power, a second said first named line, an intermediate connectmg gravity curve section, and means 1nsheaves 11, as itblocks 29, are raised and. secured to posts 18, through bolt holes 20 I claim as newand desire to secure leading at an angle from dependent of the curve carrier adapted to transmit the motion of the cables of one of said carrier lines to..the cables of the other carrier line, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

2. In carriers, through carrier line consisting of a setof parallel; endless cables appropriately supported and adapted to bedriven by power, a second similar branch carrier line extending at an angle from said first named line, an intermediate connecting gravity curve section, and means adapted for depressing the carrying through line, at the pointwhere they meet said curve section, substantially as shown and described. 7

3.111 carriers, the combinatlon of a through carrier line, consisting of a' set of parallel endless cables. appropriately supported and adapted to be driven by power, two orinore branch carrier lines, at an angle from said through line and similar thereto,a gravity curve section. adapted to successively connect said through line.

with any one ofsaid' branch lines, a car track, beneath said through line, and a car adapted to travel on said track, the said curve section being secured to said car, sub stantially as shown and described.

4,111 carriers. the combination of a through carrier line "consistingof a set of parallel endless cables appropriately supported and adapted to be driven by power,

two or more branch carrierlines extending at an angle from said through line and similar thereto, a curve carrier section, a carriage adapted. to move along and beneath said through line, and means carried-by said carriage adapted to connect successively said .through line cables with said branch line cables and to transmit the motion of one to the other, substantiallyas set forth.

5. In carriers, the combination of a through carrier line consisting of a set, of

the combination ofa.

extending parallel endless cables appropriately .sup-

ported and adapted to be driven by power, two or more branch carrier lines extending atan angle from said through line and simi lar thereto, a carriage adapted to travel along and beneath said through line, a gravity curve section carried by said carriage and adapted to connect said through line successively with said branch lines, and power transmission mechanism carried said carriage and connected vwith said through line cablesadapted to be succes-' sively hitched to. said branch line cables, and

to receive the motion of the cables of either one ofsaid carrier lines and to transmit it to the other, substantially as shown and de-.

scribed.

6. In carriers, the combination of a through carrier line consisting of a set of parallel endless cables appropriately supv ported and adapted to be driven by power,

. carriage and connected with said through two or more branch carrierlines extending at an angle from said through line and similar thereto, a car track beneath said main line, a car thereon, a curve carrier section, power transmission mechanism carried by said car and connected with said through line cables and adapted to be successively hitched to the cables of said branch lines, and means'carried by said car adapted for depressing the carrying section of said main line cables at the point where they meet said curve section, substantially as herein set forth.

7. In carriers, the combination of a through carrier line consisting of a set of parallel endless cables appropriately supported and adapted to be driven by power,

two or more similar branch carrier lines, a

gravity curve carrier section, a carriage adapted to inovebeneath-said through line, power transmission mechanism borne by said line cables by means of sheaves, said mechanism being adapted to be successively hitched to the cables of the branch lines, and

sheaves carried by said car adapted to depress the carrying sections of said through line cables at the point where said cables meet. said curve section, substantially as shown and described. I

8. In carriers, the combination of a through carrier lineconsisting of a set of parallel endless cables appropriately supported and adapted to be driven by power, a

similar branch carrier line, an intermediate gravity curve carrier section, power transmission mechanism intermediate to said two lines, means adapted for depressing the carrying section of said through line cables at the point where they meet said curve section, and means adapted to vertically adjust the branch line carrying cables at the point where they meet said curve section, substantially as set forth and described.

9. In carriers, the combination of a through carrier line consisting of a set of parallel endless cables appropriately supported and adapted to be driven by power, a number of similar branch carrier lines, an interchangeable and intermediate curve car rier section, a carriage adapted to move along and beneath said through line, power transmission mechanism borne by said carriage and connected with said through line cables by means of sheaves and adapted to be successively hitched to the cables of said branch lines, sheaves carried by said carriage and adapted to depress the carrying sect-ions of said through line cables at the point where said cables meet said curve section, and means adapted to vertically adjust the branch line cables at the point where they meet said curve section, substantially as shown and described.

10. In carriers, the combination of a through carrier line consisting of a set of parallel endless cables appropriately supported and adapted to be driven by power,

branch carrier ines extending at an angle from said through line, a carriage adapted to move along and beneath said through line, and power transmission mechanism carried by said carriage adapted to connect successively said through line cables with said branch line cables and to transmit the,

motion of one to the other, substantially as I ferred may be delivered by said secondary conveyers at different points along the track. 12. The combination, with a series of brick drying racks having lanes or alleys between them, and a track located near one end of said racks and extending transversely with respect thereto, of a car movable back and forth on said track,.a primary conveyer, secondary conveyers arranged at an angle to said .first named conveyer and extendingbetween adjoining racks, a gravity carrier section carried by saidcar and arranged'to receive pallets loaded with brick from said primary conveyer and deliver them to said secondaryconveyers, and .s a id car being movable back and forth on saidtrack where by delivery of the pallets may be made be tween any two adjoining racks, substantially as described.

13. The combinatiomwith a track and a car, of a conveyer, a secondary conveyer arranged at an angle to said primary conveyer and car, and below the level of said primary conveyer, a gravity carrier section connecting said conveyers, and whereby articles received from said primary conveyer will be delivered to said secondary conveyer, and said carrier section being reversible whereby delivery of articles from either end of the car is permitted. substantially as described.

14. The combination, with a track and a car, of endless power-operated cables passing through said car and whereon said car is movable back and forth on said tracks, conveyers arranged at an angle to said cable and below the level of the same, and means for transferring articles from said poweroperated cable to said conveyers whereby delivery of said articles may be made at any point beside and at a distance from said track, substantially as described.

-15.' The combination, with a track and car having pulleys or sheaves, of power-operated cables passin ing with sai sheaves, said car being freely movable on said cables back and forth over said track, cables arranged at an angle to said car and driven from said first named cables and below the level of the same, and a gravity carrier section carried by said car and arranged to receive pallets loaded with brick from said first named cables and deliver themto said second named cables.

16. The combination, with a track, of a car adapted to travel thereon, shafts mounted in said car transversely thereon, sheaves mounted on said shafts, a longitudinally arranged shaft having gear connections with said sheaves and whereby said driving shaft may be operated in either direction, endless power-operated cables passing through said car and engaging said sheaves, side sheaves having a driving connection with said driving shaft, cables mounted on said side sheaves and extending laterally with respect to said car, and a gravity carrier section arranged to receive pallets loaded with brick from said first. named power cables and deliver them to said secondary power cables, for the purpose specified.

17. The combination with a series of brick through said car and contactthem, and a track drying racks havin lanes or alleys between docated near one end of said racks and extending transversely with respect thereto, of a car movable on said track, a primary conveyer, a secondary conveyer arranged at an angle to said first named conveyer and car, a gravity carrier section earned by sa1d.car and arranged to receive articles from said primary conveyer and deliver them to said secondary conveyer,

substantially as described.

18. The combination, with a track and a car, of a primary conveyer, a secondary con veyer arranged at an angle to said first named conveyer and car, and a third conveyer or carrier movable with said car and standing at an angle to both of said conveyers for transferring articles from one of said conveyers to the other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

A. M. WALSTROM, M. FINNEY. 

